Commuters Root For Metro-North Expansion Plan

New York, UNITED STATES: (FILES) In this 25 October, 2002. file photo, an Amtrak train sits idle at Penn Station in New York. Amtrak, the struggling US passenger rail system, faces an uncertain future after the dismissal of its top executive in the wake of scathing report on the railroad's financial management. The firing of Amtrak chief executive David Gunn, following a congressional report showing no end in sight for the losses of the system, could accelerate an effort by the administration of US President George W. Bush to break up Amtrak, the government-owned entity that operates a de facto monopoly on US long-distance passenger trains. Gunn, who had headed Amtrak since 2002, failed to deliver on his pledge to turn around the system, which has been losing money since its creation in 1971 and has amassed some 3.5 billion USD in debt. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA/FILES (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)(credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (CBSNewYOrk) — A plan that could bring Metro-North service and thousands of commuters to Penn Station is pitting commuters against Long Island Railroad advocates.

Co-op city resident Mark Vargas can’t even talk about his daily commute to Manhattan without getting aggravated.

“You got to take the bus to the train and it’s kind of difficult when it’s kind of cold,” he told CBS 2’s Ann Mercogliano. “It’s nice to have another option.”

Vargas is rooting for a plan that would build a Metro-North station not far from where he lives and bring some Metro-North trains into Penn Station.

“I’m all for it, anything that gets us quicker to work,” he said.

It’s part of the Penn Station Access Study. Some of the study’s highlights include the Metro-North joining the LIRR, Amtrak and NJ Transit in sharing 21 existing tracks at Penn Station and construction of new stations, including four in the Bronx and two on Manhattan’s West Side – all at a cost of $1.2 billion.

It’s a study that’s been in the works for years, but seems to be gaining momentum.

MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota claims it’s on his radar, saying “I think the opportunity to view the MTA as one MTA…it’s a great goal to have, so I’m going to look at it.”

While many commuters told us they’d like to see this go ahead, advocates of the LIRR say they’re not so sure a plan like that could work.

“The Long Island Railroad is at maximum capacity at Penn Station. There’s no room to fit any additional trains in there,” said Gerry Bringmann of the LIRR Commuter Council.

While advocates are gearing up for East Side access into Grand Central Terminal, they fear adding another train service to Penn Station still won’t add up, even when that project is completed.

“Penn Station is maxed out,” said Bringman.

MTA officials admit the plan is controversial, but say the study is not off the table.